Lhoba

ETHNONYMS: none

In 1990 the Lhoba numbered only 2,312. They live in the counties of
Mainling, Medog, Lhunze, Nangxian, and Luoyu in southeastern and southern
Tibet. The Lhoba language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman Branch of the
Sino-Tibetan Language Family. There is no written language in use.
"Lhoba" is the name given them by the Tibetans and means
"southerners." They identify themselves by clan names or
names of localities.

The Lhoba practice agriculture and are skilled at working with bamboo.
They are also hunters who trade animal hides, musk, bear paws, and other
animal products with the Tibetans for manufactured and imported goods such
as farm tools, clothing, salt, wool, grain, and tea. Both groups and
individuals go on hunting trips. Boys begin to hunt at an early age,
joining their fathers in hunting expeditions. The mainstays of the Lhoba
diet are dumplings of maize or millet flour and rice or buckwheat. Those
Lhoba who live near Tibetans have adopted some Tibetan traditions, such as
buttered tea and spicy foods. Only men inherit land. The Lhoba do not wear
shoes, an ethnic marker distinguishing them from other groups in the area.

Formerly, the Lhoba had a stratified society with institutions similar to
castes. The Lhoba took slaves, but at the same time the Tibetans regarded
the Lhoba as inferior, banning intermarriage with them and restricting
their areas of residence.